By Isabel Hayes
A house painter who collided with a motorcyclist while driving in a panic after his van was smashed by some disgruntled ex-employees has been disqualified from driving for four years.
Yossry Madian’s van was smashed by two men who used to work for his painter decorator business, leading him to drive away from the scene at speed before he collided with a motorbike, injuring the rider, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.
The incident occurred on the South Circular Road in Dublin on October 19, 2021. Madian was initially charged with dangerous driving causing serious harm, but he entered a guilty plea to careless driving causing serious harm which was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Madian (47) with an address at Richmond Manor, Richmond Hill, Dublin 6, has seven previous convictions, mainly for road traffic offences, the court heard.
Today, Judge Elva Duffy handed down a 12-month sentence, which she suspended in full on a number of conditions. She disqualified Madian from driving for four years.
At a previous sentence hearing, Garda Paul Nolan told Tessa White BL, prosecuting, that a woman who was cycling home from work along the South Circular Road at the time saw two men smashing a Volkswagan van while the driver was inside.
She told gardaí that the driver of the van then took off at speed and took a turn too fast, colliding with a motorbike that was travelling down the road.
The motorbike rider was propelled into the van and suffered “excruciating” pain to his wrist and groin, the court heard.
He was taken to hospital.
A victim impact statement was handed into court but not read aloud.
The court heard the injured party was at a loss of €17,000 as a result of his injuries, treatment costs and time off work.
One of the men who smashed Madian’s van gave a statement to gardaí under caution and said he took a shovel to the van in retaliation over a previous dispute.
This man and the second man used to work for Madian’s decorating company, the court heard.
Madian was arrested in August 2024.
The court heard he is originally from Egypt and moved to Ireland in 2004.
He set up his own business in 2010 and currently employs six people, Keith Spencer BL, defending, told the court.
He asked the court to give Madian more time to save some money for the injured party as a token of his remorse.
Today, he had €3,000 in court to give to the victim.